Dress-form



Nrrn SATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES S. GOODING, OE BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

DRESS- FORM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 462,700, dated November10, 1891.

Application filed November 29,1890- Serial No. 372,999. (No modeL') Toall whom it nuty concern:

Be itiknown that 1, CHARLES S. Goonnve, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement inDress-Forms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention especially relates to the means for expanding andcontracting a dress-form, so as to adjust it to different sizes ofladies dresses.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of a form for ladies dress-skirtscontaining my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

My invention may be employed in any of the well-known varieties ofdress-forms and may be used either in a form for an entire dress or in aseparate form for a dress-waist or dress-skirt.

A is a central post or standard fitting into a socket B, which issupported in an upright position on a tripod (I or other suitable base.

D D represent four longitudinal sections of a form, which, as combined,correspond to the general shape of a dress-skirt.

E is a collar or sleeve,which is fixed against vertical movement on thepost A by means of the collars F and G, pinned to the post. or fixed byset-screws. The sleeve E is free to turn or rotate upon the standard.

II II are four arms, which are secured to or made a part of the sleeveE. The arms H H are situated at equal distances apart. Fast upon thestandard A is a screw-threaded sleeve I. A screw-thread out upon thepost or standards itself will, of course, serve the same purpose as thesleeve I. Pivoted at L to the arms H H are the braces or levers K K. Theouter ends of the braces or levers K K are pivoted to the severalsections of the skirtform at or near the waistband. Secured to the innerends and forming parts of the levers K K are toothed sectors M M, theteeth of which mesh into the thread of the screw I.

At the lower portion of the form are expanding-braces P 'P, which arehinged at their inner ends to a collar 0, and at their outer ends arepivoted to the several sections of the skirt-form. A set-collar R ispivoted below the collar 0 for the purpose of fixing the latter in anydesired position. A set-ooh lar S is provided upon the standard for thepurpose of regulating the height of the post, which is accomplished by avertical adjustment of the collar S.

The whole form may be rotated by turning the post A in the socket B.

The form may be expanded by holding the standard A stationary androtating the skirtform about it, or by reversing the operation namely,holding the dress-form stationary and turning the standard within it.Itis obvious that when the screw I is turned in one levers K K to bemoved toward the standard, and when turned in the opposite direction itwill cause them to be moved away from the standard, thereby contractingor expanding the form at pleasure.

The means herein shown of constructing the ex ilanding device alfordgreater strength and firmness of the parts at the waistband than haveheretofore been accomplished, and produce more rapid movements inexpanding and coi'ltracting the form.

The gist of theinvention resides in the employment of levers having afulcrum fixed against radiallyehorizontal movement, the long arms ofwhich levers are'pivoted to the sections of the dress-form and the shortarms of which are acted upon bya vertically-operating device on thepost. The positions of the levers may be inverted so as to inclinedownwardly from the post, if preferred.

hat I claim as my invention is In a dress-form, the combination of theouter sections thereof, the standard having screwthreads thereon, thelevers hinged to the sections at their outer ends, and having bearingsat their inner ends movable on the standard and pivoted to a support onthe same at a point between said ends, whereby the inner end of eachlever is guided on the stand ard while revolving about said pivot,substantially as set forth.

CHAS. S. GOODING.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. F. PERKINS, LILLIAN S. MAYO.

direction it will cause the outer ends of the

